Watch: Endangered curlews released back into the wild at Phillip Island
Fourteen more birds have joined the wild population as researchers trial leaving half of them unclipped to help dodge traffic.
Fourteen bush stone-curlews have been released into the wild on Phillip Island in the latest stage of a landmark bid to bring the critically endangered bird back to Victoria.
The release adds to the birds already living wild on the island, with conservationists hoping the new arrivals will breed and widen the genetic diversity of the population.
Phillip Island Nature Parks has now released 45 bush stone-curlews from captivity since the program began in 2024, freeing them in several groups and tracking their progress ever since.
Researchers monitor the birds using tiny GPS backpacks, remote cameras and ground surveys carried out by staff and volunteers.
That monitoring has found the biggest killer of the birds on the island is passing traffic, with curlews especially at risk while they settle into unfamiliar ground.
For the first time only half the newly released birds have had their wings clipped, as researchers test whether flight helps them escape oncoming cars.
Bush stone-curlews run to the wild after being released on Phillip Island.
Earlier releases saw every bird clipped so it would stay near the release zone rather than scatter, a tactic that lifts survival rates when no resident birds are present.
Phillip Island Nature Parks senior scientist Dr Duncan Sutherland said the reintroduction program was a great example of conservation made possible through collaboration.
"With the first wild releases we have determined that bush stone-curlews can survive on Phillip Island," he said.
"Now we are introducing birds from all around Australia, to encourage more breeding and a diverse genetic population, which will give the birds the best chance of success in a changing environment."
The birds bred for the first time earlier this year, with three wild chicks hatching.
None survived to fledge, but the hatchings signalled the population was settling in and ready to reproduce.
"The birds are all fitted with tiny GPS-tracking backpacks and identification bands so we can monitor their progress, habitat use, movement patterns, and reproductive success," Dr Sutherland said.
"We have seen some promising signs and anticipate more breeding attempted later this year, with the hope that some of the chicks survive to fledge and begin to establish a self-sustaining wild population on Milawul."
"We hope this program improves the long-term viability of curlews right across south-eastern Australia."
The 14 new birds were bred at Phillip Island from stock sourced nationally, including Alice Springs Desert Park, the Australian Reptile Park, Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Caversham Wildlife Park, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Oakvale Wildlife Park.
Phillip Island Nature Parks senior scientist Dr Duncan Sutherland says the last curlews were seen on the island in the 1970s.
The reintroduction is a partnership between the Nature Parks, Odonata Foundation and the Australian National University, backed by the Penguin Foundation.
Residents can help by driving slowly between dusk and dawn when the birds are most active, keeping dogs leashed and cats contained, and leaving fallen logs on the ground for habitat.
